Chapter 2

After that day, I moved into Briarwood Manor by myself.

The Cole residence wasn't far from the Brown residence. They weren't on the same street but were close enough that running into each other was always possible.

Since I had chosen to give up the marriage agreement with Nathaniel in this life, I needed to cut things off completely and avoid unnecessary contact.

On my first day back at Briarwood Manor, I started cleaning. I didn't expect to find the old marriage agreement tucked away in one of the cabinets.

It was the Cole family who had someone write it up years ago.

The agreement had been set here, in this very house.

Two crooked, childish names were scrawled across it—mine and Nathaniel's.

Back then, we were still little. When I had accidentally found out about the engagement between our families, I told him about it. He had pounded his chest and swore up that he'd marry me. So I secretly wrote our names on it.

Thinking for a moment, I crossed out my name and replaced it with Catherine's. Then, I sent the agreement back to the Brown residence and handed it directly to Catherine.

She curled her lip and said mockingly, "I never thought you were so good at securing a match without the people involved even knowing about it."

Despite knowing that she was deliberately mocking me, I held back my temper. I turned to leave, but she grabbed my arm.

"Nathaniel's taking me to dinner. Why don't you come with us, so he can admire your little masterpiece?"

I stayed silent.

In my past life, Nathaniel had never once taken me out to eat, saying it was a waste of money.

One year, on his birthday, I booked a table at a restaurant, hoping to make him happy. Various dishes were arranged neatly on it. But instead of a word of praise, I got cursed out, accused of being wasteful.

My fists clenched tight. I shook off Catherine's hand and turned to leave the Brown residence.

I hadn't gone far when I ran straight into Nathaniel. He was carrying an emerald bracelet, smiling so wide he didn't even notice me.

"Catherine, look at this bracelet. Do you like it? I bought it just for you."

That one simple sentence made me clench my jaw.

In my past life, I had liked that very same bracelet. But he had refused to buy it, saying it was too expensive. Yet now, he was smiling ear to ear while presenting it to Catherine. "I get employee discounts on it, it's no big deal."

One comparison after another pressed down on me like a boulder, and I quickened my steps to leave.

But it seemed he had noticed the marriage agreement in Catherine's hands. His face froze, and he asked instinctively, "Where did you get that?"

Catherine gave a short laugh, her voice dripping with scorn. "My stupid sister gave it to me."

He immediately lifted his head in a panic. But I had already turned the corner and disappeared by then.

The next morning, I went to work.

In the past, Nathaniel would walk me to my workplace. As I was always busy, I cherished those moments we spent alone together.

Seeing me arrive alone, one of my colleagues teased, "Where's that boyfriend of yours today?"

I smiled faintly. "Don't joke with me, Lucy. He's not my boyfriend but my brother-in-law. He and my sister are getting married soon, so I won't trouble him anymore."

The words had barely left my mouth when I heard Nathaniel's and Catherine's voices not far away.

I quickly ducked into a corner and heard him asking in surprise, "Where's Bella? Why isn't she here?"

But Catherine just pulled him along carelessly. "Maybe she's busy. Come on, let's go get something to eat!"

By the time I came back, the two of them were gone, swallowed by the crowd. What I didn't expect was that he would circle back. Luckily, I was in the middle of drawing customers to look at goods, and I spotted him immediately.

He raised his voice and called my name, "Bella!"

I didn't answer.

By the time he pushed his way through, I had already vanished into the sea of people.